How inspiration is reshaping customer behaviour and business strategy
Customer satisfaction has often been the benchmark for measuring business success. But as Professor Heiner Evanschitzky shared in our recent Executive Education Insight Series masterclass, satisfaction alone no longer guarantees loyalty, differentiation or growth.
The new currency? Customer inspiration. Here are five key takeaways that could change the way your organisation engages, influences and retains customers.
1. Measuring customer inspiration
Customer inspiration is described as a cognitive and emotional state that prompts action – which for many businesses is seen as a purchase. This is different to satisfaction, which reflects how a customer feels after their experience. Inspiration acts as a motivator, pushing people to explore, share or buy.
By measuring inspiration, businesses are able to benchmark and refine their customer interactions over time. Tools like post-interaction surveys, website feedback forms and A/B testing in digital campaigns can be used to gauge levels of customer inspiration. Questions might include:
- Did this experience offer you a new idea or perspective?
- Did it reveal possibilities you hadn't considered before?
- Did you feel motivated to explore further?
- Did it inspire you to purchase or try something new?
2. Inspiration drives sales
Heiner's research shared in the session showed that inspirational marketing led to significantly higher purchase rates, loyalty and Net Promoter Scores.
An example shared by Heiner involved a simple apple display in a supermarket.
When the apples were presented alongside inspirational content such as recipe ideas, shoppers bought more than twice as many apples compared to a standard display without any suggestions. It was clear that the addition of a practical, imaginative element significantly boosted engagement and sales.
In another similar case, an online grocery platform tested two approaches. When the site showcased full recipes (complete with direct links to buy all the necessary ingredients), customers purchased nearly three times more products than when the same items were presented individually.
Curating the experience around a customer goal – rather than isolated products – proved far more effective.
While these examples are relevant to consumer environments, the principle is the same for B2B, as inspiration often stems from matching a specific business challenge with a well-articulated, novel and unexpected solution.
Through case studies, testimonials or strategic content, inspiring a business customer is about showing them what's possible, and making it easy for them to act on that potential.
3. The positive effects of disruption
To inspire, marketing must disrupt everyday thinking. Whether it's an unexpected in-store atmosphere, a unique product story, or a piece of engaging content, disruption is key to capturing attention and triggering insight. The goal is to:
- Shift customer perception
- Spark customer curiosity
- Open up new possibilities for customers that exceed their expectations.
In this part of the masterclass, Heiner highlighted the importance of disrupting a customer's mental schema – the set of expectations they associate with a brand, product or service. Inspiration often happens when those expectations are challenged.
An example of this is IKEA's use of fully furnished room setups that replicate real homes – a change from the typical retail experience, designed to spark new ideas and encourage engagement.
4. Five proven drivers of inspiration
So, what are some practical examples of how to put these theories into practice? The masterclass identified the top activities that consistently spark inspiration:
- Unusual atmospherics – surprising, standout experiences
- Immersive onsite presentation – displays that engage and take you along
- Thematic communication – storytelling with purpose and clarity
- Unique value propositions – exclusivity, authenticity, impact
- Personalised services – relevance and real human connection.
These can be adapted across sectors, from all aspects of retail to customer facing and B2B services, and can offer a clear framework for designing a marketing strategy.
5. Inspiration should be a long-term strategy, not a one-off
The path to inspiration-led marketing should continue to evolve. It's important to measure current inspiration levels, implement disruptive campaigns, and measure again, to track the impact on key metrics.
Embedding inspiration into your strategy goes beyond creativity and helps to achieve sustainable business performance.
A question raised during the session highlighted the importance of maintaining customer inspiration over time, to prevent audiences from becoming desensitised to a brand's more surprising or disruptive tactics.
The solution lies in creating a sustained sequence of events and experiences that continue to inspire and engage over the long term.
What next?
For both leaders and marketing professionals, the message is simple: customer inspiration is a proven driver of loyalty, differentiation and growth. If your brand isn't inspiring, it's at risk of becoming invisible, especially in over-saturated markets.
Discover how our Transforming Customer Experiences course, led by Professor Heiner Evanschitzky can help embed this thinking into your organisation.
To explore the full research behind the insights shared in Heiner's session, you can read the original study.
